Deadlock in matchplay final

Ernie Els, chasing a record sixth win on his 35th birthday, and Lee Westwood, seeking his second victory, were all-square at the halfway stage of their 36-hole final in the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth.

The pair each had a trip to the trees in the first three holes and after both had eagled the long fourth – Els from eight feet, Westwood from six – the South African bogeyed the next two.

He was quick to respond, though, making five-foot birdie putts on the seventh and ninth. After bogeying again at the short 12th he holed a 30-footer for a second eagle of the day on the 12th.

Westwood missed a 14-footer for a half there and a three-footer to win the 14th, but was back in front with a 12-foot birdie putt two holes later.

His next shot, though, was a hook out of bounds off the 17th tee – Els did it twice in a row against Angel Cabrera in the quarter-finals – and after losing that to a par five he missed a 12-foot eagle chance on the last and it was halved in birdies.

Westwood was round in 69, Els in 70, but what mattered was that they were level.